PALM CITY — If you have a Christmas tree and you have a cat, chances are, you also have stories to tell! Bringing a tree indoors and covering it with shiny, glittery ornaments is asking for trouble from your feline family members.

If you have any doubt, just check out the videos on You Tube of cats climbing Christmas trees, knocking carefully decorated trees down, sleeping in the branches and destroying decorations.

Is the only solution to the cat vs. Christmas tree problem to forego your tree?

Thankfully, no! There are precautions that can be taken to lessen the chances of a mishap.

An article, “How to Cat Proof Your Christmas Tree” on the WikiHow site, recommends that you initially put up your tree and leave it undecorated for a day or two.

This allows your cat to get used to the presence of the tree without the added allure of decorations.

Once you do start decorating, place the unbreakable ornaments closer to the bottom and the more fragile items higher up on the tree. Avoid ornaments with bits of ribbon or loose parts that your cat could choke on or swallow.

If your cat can’t seem to resist attacking the tree or helping himself to the ornaments, try using a cat repellent spray, a citrus spray, or, even mint toothpaste rubbed on the branches and baubles.

Be aware that these repellents will probably need to be re-applied periodically as the scent fades over time.